Before we tackle the greater issues here, I must confess something. Every year since the launch of the DS Lite I have compulsively purchased a new DS. My first was pink, purchased in Chicago during the second major DS shortage. I traded it in later that year, so I could get a black one….

The black one then met a similar fate as the limited edition Diamond and Pearl DS came out. I refuse to trade that one in, so it sits around in a protective case. Last year I pre-ordered and stood outside to pick up the DSi. Unlike most gamers who did this, I didn’t hate myself afterward.  Bigger screens, a smudge-proof matte finish, and the hope of something good coming out of the DSiWare store made me a fairly content consumer.

And now it is 2010 and the DSi XL is out. I was at GameStop Sunday morning to procure my handheld, along with a case known as the “City Wallet.” Am I a fool for continuing to buy the same device over and over, or are the changes implemented in the XL finally worthwhile to the more discerning gamer? I plan to test this and a few more ridiculous factors so you don’t have to.

What does it look like?

By now you can find complete deconstructions of the XL on pretty much every game site. This annoys me.  I don’t care what’s inside of this half-matte object. All I care about is that it is properly assembled. My Pokémon DS is not properly assembled. The touch screen is crooked -- but apparently so slightly that I am widely considered insane for noticing…. The XL’s construction is sound, and it feels dense, unlike its predecessors. I like that it has heft and doesn’t feel like it will shatter if I hold it too tightly.

What I don’t like is the glossy bubble top. It catches fingerprints worse than the DS Lite ever did and is an eye sore compared to the sleek and smaller DSi. I can only assume the return to a glossy finish is Nintendo’s attack on people who compulsively clean things. I’ve not gotten to the point that I wrap the XL in a microfiber cloth before sitting it down anywhere, but that’s only because I’ve not found one that’s big enough to fully protect it.

How do the screens handle older games?

I’ve heard more than one gamer doubt the effectiveness of larger screens when coupled with older titles. Many DS games shouldn’t be blown up, that’s very true, and the idea that images are now 93 percent larger than before leaves a lot of room to doubt the quality. I am pleased to report that larger screens are not nearly as problematic as they seem.

When I was testing this, I asked my Twitter followers what games they’d like to see. My DS library is fairly extensive, and I managed to meet their demands. Elite Beat Agents felt less cluttered and easier to manage and took to a larger presentation flawlessly. New Super Mario Bros. is brighter and crisper than ever before, and the Castlevania games continue to look stunning.

I did notice that many sprites do look a bit grainy in older games. It isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it could be off-putting to people who have a hard time glossing over graphical imperfections. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth did not suffer from the display, but I fear for the first few Ace Attorney games and their GBA sprites.

It’s bigger, that means the battery life sucks….

Now you’re just nitpicking. The battery life isn’t going to live up to the expectations of people demanding it be as good as the DS Lite’s. Playing the XL at reasonable screen brightness is the way to go, and as of this writing I’ve only charged it once, and it is still going strong after several marathon gaming sessions.  

The XL also takes longer to charge. The first time took nearly three hours, and it was off the entire time. I’m not used to charging taking that long, but if it uses that power effectively, I can just plug it in before going to bed.

What about the sound quality and Internet capabilities?

The sound quality hasn’t changed that much from the DSi, but it is still quite good. I prefer to play handhelds with headphones because that’s what sensible people do. Just like they turn off the noises cellphone buttons make if they insist on texting all the time....

Opera still sucks. Sorry Opera users but the browser is just ineffective. It is easier to see, however, with the bigger screens. If you can’t afford a smartphone, get a netbook if you’re looking for easy mobile Internet surfing.

$189 isn’t worth it. I’ll stick with my old DS/DSi

Well, how about this: From now until April 26 GameStop is offering to take your old DS for a larger amount of credit than they usually do. Trading in a DS Lite knocks the price down to $129, and a DSi takes it to $99. My powder blue DSi made this review possible.

What does the DSi XL look like compared to your dog?

I’m so glad you asked! Sassy sat primly for her photo shoot with the XL, until she wanted to know if it was edible. Luckily I saved it before her whip-like tongue made contact.

Do you recommend people buy one?

Definitely. The enhanced display makes it a worthwhile purchase, but I recommend taking advantage of any deal you can find when buying one. Once you use the XL, it is next to impossible to go back to a DSi or DS Lite.